Intuitive Handbuilding in Clay

Discover new approaches to handbuilding in clay with a focus on making colourful ceramic vessels and objects using experimental techniques to push the boundaries of the form. Learn to work with a range of techniques including pinching, stacking, joining, coiling and slab constructions.

Holly Macdonald encourages you to harness your intuition to allow the form to emerge, leading to new possibilities in the way you think about clay as a sculptural form. You will utilise slip decoration and glazing techniques over multiple firings to achieve surprising results and unexpected outcomes.

Open to students of all levels of experience in ceramics.

Selected pieces will be fired in the NAS kilns after the workshop. Please note, it may take up to four weeks after your course ends for works to be available for collection. We will notify you when they are ready for pick up.

* The course fee incorporates the cost for materials such as clay.

* Please note that there is no class on Saturday 7 June due to the long weekend.

* NAS Short Courses are open to students of ages 16 years and over. The NAS Art Club is open to students from ages 15 years and over. 

* What to bring? Please refer to the list of required materials in the Art Materials field below. 

Holly Macdonald initially studied architecture and engineering before discovering her passion for ceramics. Her creative practice is founded in ceramics and combines hand building in clay with drawing, installation, and interdisciplinary collaboration to explore the dynamic relationship between maker, material and place.

Holly has exhibited work throughout Australia including solo exhibitions at Lake Macquarie's Multi-Arts Pavilion mima, Sabbia Gallery, and Firstdraft. In 2023 her work was included in Maitland Regional Art Gallery’s major exhibition 'Upriver Downriver' and 'TERRA NOVA: 70 years of Sturt Pottery' at Sturt Gallery. She has been a finalist in awards including the Ravenswood Australian Women’s Art Prize, North Queensland Ceramic Award and the Gold Coast International Ceramic Award and in 2022 was awarded winner of the Brenda Clouten Memorial Art Scholarships.

As well as maintaining a studio practice, she teaches workshops and has contributed time and enthusiasm to organisations such as The Australian Ceramics Association and kil.n.it Experimental Ceramics, Sydney. She is a graduate of the National Art School and holds an Honours degree in Fine Art (First Class) from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.

Students must supply their own art materials, please refer to the list below.

• Towel and protective clothes (old shirt or apron) 
• Notebook and pencils/pens 
• Any ceramics tools that you may already have 
• All clay and other materials are provided 
• We recommend students bring a P2 KN95 disposable mask 
• Enclosed footwear is essential in all studios on campus.